Sky fish and Sea bird
by Lyra14260
Summary: It's early evening when a young blonde training on the beach finds a girl lying half-drowned. How did she get there? What if this was just destiny?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 - Sea bird

When I woke up, the first thing I saw was this incredible pair of dark green eyes, or was it a sort of blue? I couldn't say. I suddenly realised that there was a voice trying to reach me, and suddenly I was able to make out more than the eyes. There was a face, the most beautiful thing I ever saw. But what was she saying to me, or yelling more likely? All I could year was a continuous high-pitched noise in both my ears. She looked worried, but why? Then slowly, I started to acknowledge myself. The left side of my face was lying on the hard, gritty sand, my mouth tasted like salt and I was cold and drenched, sea water still coming by waves like a blanket over the lower part of my body, sometimes reaching the tips of my fingers. I was lying on the beach, clothes on, and my body was sore, painful... wrecked?

That's when I started to ear again.

"Hey! Can you hear me? Can you move your fingers? legs?"

I started to move my fingers. Yes, I could.

"Good. Can you talk? What's your name? Don't worry, I've called an ambulance, it's going to be here soon."

I tried to talk, but the pain in my throat and the rough sound that came from it indicated I must have drowned at some point.

"Mi... Michiru..."

"Good, Michiru then. Well Michiru, I found you lying here. I pulled you out of the water then you started to cough, so I didn't have to reanimate you. I called for help, and I was told not to move you further. That's why you're still lying here. Do you remember how this all happen?"

I started to think... All I could remember was sitting legs in the sea on my father's boat on a nice family day trip, which of course, my father wasn't able to attend, which left me, my step-mother and step-brother along with a couple of friends... I must have fallen. They probably were searching from me. I could picture it, my step-brother diving head first, my step-mother phoning for help, phoning my father etc... Everyone worried sick and panicked. How long had I been under. Probably the coast guards were already on it.

"Fell... boat..." was all I could manage what with my raw throat. I coughed; it felt like daggers ripping my throat open.

"Water" was the next thing I said in my unusually rough voice.

"Oh yes of course... you must be hurting. All that salt... Here you go. Lucky I was out running."

She pushed the bottle very lightly on my mouth and I was able to drink a few drops before I coughed again, then I started to try move, not exactly to get up, but to find a comfier position. But it suddenly felt like some truck had passed over me. Her eyes showed even more worry.

"No, no... Don't move. They said you shouldn't. They're worried about your spinal column."

Oh, of course they would. I stopped trying, anyway, I was too sore for that. So I just stared at her. She had something of an angel... or maybe I had just knocked my head on some rock... No she really looked like an angel. She had a thin face, and short golden hair. She was wearing shorts and a sleeveless shirt that revealed thin strong arms and legs, and perfect curves that I didn't fail to notice even wrecked as I was. In the end, if you could take out the pain, lying here was not so bad.

That's when the ambulance arrived. I didn't really want to talk, so I just nodded and made small noises of denial, or approval when asked. Fortunately, she did most of the explanation, and I was happy enough to just being rocked by the comforting sound of her husky voice.

It seemed that I didn't have one bone broken, or any apparent sign of concussion, which was really lucky, as they said. But of course, they didn't exactly let me get up and walk home. I was transported to the hospital. When they started to lift me up, I got suddenly worried. I didn't know her name! I felt like if I lost eye contact for just one second, she'd vanish into thin air. And how was I supposed to find her again in a world so big. So I lifted my hand into the air, trying to catch hers and said, or I should say, pleaded.

"Please..."

She seemed to understand, and took my hand automatically, her eyes now locked on mine. Her skin was so warm.

"Ok, I'll stay with you." she said.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 - Sky fish

I sat in the ambulance at her side as I tried to regain some calm. When I first saw the maze of her turquoise hair floating in the low sea, I thought she was dead. But when I saw her slowly moved by the air she inhaled and exhaled, and later on, her opened eyes, I knew she was alive. But in what shape? She was covered in bruises and so pale. But ever so beautiful. I had never seen the likes of her. She could have been a mermaid. For a second of disbelief, I had searched for the tail but of course found none... and her torn white dress kind of gave away the fact she was human... Silly me. I was so relieved when she opened her eyes and uttered those few words. At least she was not in a coma... and those eyes. When she did open them, I suddenly felt like I was drowning too, but in a good way. I was drowning into her. A selfish part of me had wished the ambulance would never come.

But it did, and I was relieved to see she was ok, though it was kind of weird, to see them lifting her limbs like she was a rag doll, touching her... When they lifted her, I thought for a second that it was over, that she was gone for good. After all, I had only a name. Michiru. So sweet, it made the tip of my tongue flutter as I pronounced it. But how many Michiru were they in Tokyo? If she actually was living here. She could be on holiday, or travelling by boat...

So when she did lift her hand in my direction I felt my heart jump in its cage and I grabbed it with relief. I didn't drop it in the ambulance, but the trip seemed quite short. I had to drop her hand in the hospital, and take a seat in front of her room as they examined her further more. But I couldn't stay still. The hand she had been holding was restless. I was missing the contact already. I couldn't see clear. One minute I had been jogging on the beach, in my own little bubble, feeling the wind fresh and cold on my face. Next thing I was here, with only her on my mind, as if my whole world had been turned upside down, and yet it was feeling so right, to be here, worrying about her.

Suddenly, a man burst in the corridor like a tornado. He was yelling at everyone, trying to reach the room.

"It's my daughter in here! let me see her!"

"Kaioh-san, please calm down and take a seat, she is o..."

"Ok? You'd better think twice before telling me she's ok. You found her almost unconscious on the beach, head in the sea!"

"Of course, you're worried... Well... why don't you have a little chat with a young man who found her... He probably have saved her life you know."

A man? There was no man, only me...

"Here he is, Tenoh-kun? Can we speak with you?"

Oh... they meant me. The man, it's me... I did not have time to clear the misunderstanding. The man, Michiru's father, was already firing his questions.

"How was she? Did she say anything? Who are you? Thank you for what you've done. I'll reward you, you're a hero."

"Hum... well, she was unconscious, but she awoke quickly... She told me her name, and I suppose she fell from a boat. And I don't need any reward. Oh, and by the way I'm a wo..."

"Of course she was on a boat. I know that. A little fishing trip. Michiru doesn't fish, but she likes the sea. If you will excuse me, I have to phone my wife. She must be on her way now. She's so fond of the kid. She must feel so bad. But Michiru has always been absent minded. She probably caught sight of a fish of some sort and fell. My wife says no one noticed for a good half hour. My daughter's always so discreet. Sometimes it feels like she's not exactly with us. I'm so relieved nothing worse happened."

He hadn't let me place a word. He was about to phone when a nurse told him it was forbidden, resulting in him yelling at the poor woman, saying he had donated enough to the hospital that he could do whatever he likes. I thought she was about to burst into tears when a woman came out of Michiru's room.

"Oh! Setsuna, how's my girl?"

"She's fine. She's got bruises but that's all. Her throat will be rough for a few days, and she'll need a good week's rest. But she's ok. She's always been a lucky one. Go see her."

He didn't need to be asked twice. She turned to me.

"You must be Tenoh-kun. She was lucky you were there. If you hadn't pulled her out of the water she'd have drowned. I'm her aunt, Meioh Setsuna, and I really thank you for what you did."

"Oh... that was nothing... I... was there, that's all."

Her aunt, that explained her father's familiarity. But they looked nothing alike. Meioh-san's hair was dark green and her skin was tanned.

"She wants to see you too. If you could stay around till her dad's finished, that would be great."

"No problem."

She wanted to see me. I had the impression my feet had left the ground. Then I thought... no reason to be hopeful, she probably wanted to thank me, that would be all.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

My father was talking in such a loud way, and my head was still pounding a bit. I couldn't wait for him to get out. I wanted to see her, but I was afraid that if he stuck around to long, she would go. Eventually he exited the room, still mumbling something about me being absent-minded and clumsy. I never thought of it that way, I don't remember ever being clumsy. I don't exactly remember what happened on board of the ship, and it was weird. Even being modest, I knew I was the best swimmer of my district. I was even approached by people about Olympic games, which I declined. For as much as I love swimming, I'd rather keep it a leisure and perfect in arts. But still, me, drowning? That's sounds so unreal.

As soon as the sounds of my father's sure steps fade in the corridor, I hear at the door.

"Come in, please"

I hope this time it's her... And here she is, poking her head through the door frame.

"Hey..." she says, a bit hesitant.

"Hello, you must be Tenoh-san, aren't you?"

"I am... well, since I kind of saved your life, you can call me Haruka."

"Saved my life... You think so? I'm a good swimmer, I wouldn't have drowned."

She laughed, a husky, warm laugh.

"Well, if you'll excuse me, as unconscious as you were, good swimmer or not, you would have probably died."

She was right, I knew it, but it was hard to admit. When water is your element, your home, a place you feel secure, it's hard to admit it could have killed you.

"Do you remember happened on board of that ship?"

"No, not at all. I was just sitting, feet in the water. Looking at the horizon. The party was a bit loud. They were friends of my step-family, no one I knew, but I wanted to come because I'd take opportunity to go at sea, and since I'm no good at maneuvering anything mechanical, boats, cars on my own... I take any opportunity... Well, this time it was probably a mistake. They were all so drunk, weird party, really."

"Hmm... More likely you were bumped into by one of those drunkyards."

"Who knows? I guess we'll never."

"You sound better, Kaioh-san"

"Still got a massive headache, but the voice is better. You can call me Michiru, you know."

"Mi-chi-ru , I like the sound of it."

"How lucky I am."

"Lucky? You drowned, what kind of luck is that?"

"I mean... Lucky I met you. We shall meet again."

"That would be my pleasure. How long will they keep you here?"

"Well... the doctor is my aunt, I wonder how I'll get out of this one."

"Maybe some home-hospitalization thing..."

"Sounds good. Or I could run away."

"You just fell off a boat and nearly drowned to death. That would be reckless. As much as I would like for us to get out and have a drink, you should stay here at least for the night."

Michiru was smiling, and she eventually nodded; she'd stay. I would have been worried if she hadn't. With just that little bit of conversation, I had the impression I had known her my whole life; she seemed to fancy me too, and this smile she was returning me, and those sparkling blue eyes warmed my heart. In that instant, I had the impression nothing mattered anymore, nor time, nor the people outside... nothing but her. That's probably what they call love at first sight. I had the impression that if something were to happen to her, I'd be destroyed. That one refusal on her part would mean a world being torn apart in my very soul. Then I shook my head. How stupid, I wasn't the romantic type.

I suddenly heard the door behind me. I jumped.

"Oh... mother." said Michiru.

A slight smile crossed her face.

"Michiru, you okay?"

The lady was in her late thirties, and in a panic. She was beautiful, though her face was red with crying. Michiru's mother? Impossible, they looked nothing alike, nothing at all.

"I just arrived, your dad told not to come, to get some rest, but I told him I had to see it for myself, that you were alive and well. Oh, Michiru, I'm so sorry. Your brother and I feel so guilty. If our friends hadn't drink that much, someone would have caught sight of you, you could have been saved earlier."

"Don't worry. I'm okay now, it's not your fault."

Michiru's face was so different now, peaceful, and so childlike. She really must like this woman. Though I couldn't picture what they had in common. Then I realized she must be the step-mother she had been talking about.

The woman turned to face me.

"Sorry, I hadn't introduced myself. I am Kaioh Shiori, Michiru's step-mother. You must be Tenoh-san, I can't tell you how grateful I am. Michiru's a daughter to me. I have known her since she was 5."

"She was such a great support when my mother died. I'm so happy my father fell in love with her. We were already so close by then, I wouldn't have accepted anyone else filling for my mother." said Michiru with a weak smile.

I started to feel out of place. I cleared my throat and gave Michiru a paper with my phone number on it, said goodbye and left. This family cocoon was not my thing, it was theirs to share.


End file.
